Clothespin



June 9,1936; M, PAD 4 2,043,553;

CLOTHESPIN Filed May 9, 1955 Patented June 9, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to clothespins and more particularly to an improved type of pin which includes locking means to prevent accidental release of the pinfrom a clothesline under the action of wind or the like.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved clothespin which is so constructed that it can be readily mounted on a clothesline and which embodies means to limit the positioning of the pin on the line in addition to means for locking the pin in operative position upon the line.

A further object of this invention is to provide a metal clothesline pin which can be constructed out of relatively light material such as wire or the like and which may be so formed as to initially yieldably clamp clothes upon the line, in addition to providing means for tightly clamping clothes upon the line and holding the pin against release by reason of wind or the like.

The above and various other objects and advantages of this invention will in part be described in, and in part be understood from the following detail description of the present preferred embodiment, the same being illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:-

Figure 1 is a detail front elevation of a clothespin, constructed according to an embodiment of this invention;

Figure 2 is a detail side elevation of the clothespin in applied position on a line.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 6-5 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawing wherein like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the numeral l0 designates generally one clamping member and the numeral II designates the complementary clamping member disposed in confronting position to the clamping member Ill. These two clamping members are each constructed in the present instance out of a single piece of wire which is bent in substantially U-shape and the bights of the members are disposed in confronting relation. The clamping member or jaw I0 has parallel legs l2 and I3, each of which is provided with offset portions l4 and I5 respectively, within which the clothesline is adapted to engage. These offset portions l4 and I5 are dis posed at a point adjacent the bight [6 of the clamping member ID and the forward portions of the two arms I2 and I3 are bent obliquely, as

at I'Lso that the bight I6 will be disposed in a manner to provide one means to facilitate the insertion of the line within the recessed portions l4 and IS.

The clamping member or jaw l I has the parallel legs 18 and [9 thereof provided with offset portions 20 and 2|, which offset portions 20 and 2| are reverse to the offset portions l4 and 15 of the clamping member l0, so as to provide a means whereby opposed portions of the clothesline may be engaged by the two jaw members I0 and H r The jaw member II has the bight 22 thereof disposed in offset relation to the length of the parallel arms l8 and [9, this being accomplished by bending the forward or lower portions of the arms l8 and I9, as at23.

The clamping member I0 has the upper ends of the free legs l2 and I3 thereof bent inwardly, as at 24, and the clamping member II also has the free or upper ends of the legs l8 and I9 thereof bent inwardly in confronting relation, as at 25, and these inwardly bent portions 24 and 25 of the clamping members l0 and H are disposed between a pair of plates or body members 26 and 21 which are integral one with another. In practice, the two members 26 and 21 are formed of a single sheet of metal which is bent upon itself and the extensions 24 and 25 are disposed between the confronting sides of the two members 26 and 2! and secured therebetween as by spot welding or any other suitable fastening means.

The clamping members l0 and II are preferably made of rust proof high carbon steel wire which may be either round, square, fiat or the like.

A slidable clamp locking member 28 is disposed loosely about the two clamping members l0 and H and is constructed of a piece of wire bent in looped form with the ends secured together so as to form an endless loop which is slidable along the lengths of the parallel legs of the clamping members It and II. The two clamping members H) and II are initially disposed in angular relation, one to another, so that the line engaging portions thereof will be normally urged into open position. The locking member 28, when in its uppermost position is in a released position and as this locking member 28 is moved downwardly toward the line engaging portions of the jaws, the two jaws are forced, one toward another, so as to firmly clamp the line in the line engaging portions of the two jaws.

The clamping member ill in the present instance, is provided with a stop member 29 formed by bending the parallel leg I2 upon itself so as to form a right angularly disposed stop member which is positioned at the upper portion of the offset portion l4 so that the clothes line cannot slide upwardly between the two jaw members l0 and II beyond the stop 29. In practice, the jaw member ID may be constructed slightly narrower than the jaw member I I so that the parallel legs Ill and II respectively, until the line engages in i the ofiset portions l4l 5, 202I of the jaw meme bers l0 and II respectively. The stop member 29 will prevent the line from moving upwardly betweenthejaw members ll) and II beyond the line engaging portions thereof. The resilient clamping jaws I0 and II will initially, by reason of their inherent resiliency, clamp the clothes upon the line but inorder to firmly lock the clothes upon the line, the locking member 28 is forced downwardly so as to force the jaws l0 and II, one toward the other, and thereby firmly clamp the clothes upon the line within the line engaging portions of the two jaws. o

It is, of course, understood, that various changes and modifications maybe made in the details of construction and design of the above specifically described embodiment of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof, such changes ing portion carried by each member intermediate the ends of the parallel legs thereof, said first means maintaining the clamping members in downwardly divergent relation, a looped locking member slidable on the free legs of the members anda stop carried by one of the free legs of one v.of the members intermediate the ends thereof to limit'th'e insertion of the line between the two members.

2. A clothespin as set forth comprising a pair of U-shaped clamping members, a reverted plate engaging about and secured to the free legs of the members for securing the members together in downwardly divergent relation, line clamping jaws carried by each member adjacent the lower ends of the free legs ofthe members, means integral with one leg of one of the members intermediate the ends thereof to limit the insertion of the clothesline between the two jaws, a looped locking member slidable on the free legs of the clamping members and adapted upon downward movement thereof to force the members toward each other, each of said clamping members having the bight thereof disposed in flared relation whereby to facilitate the insertion of the line between the two jaw members.

MICHAEL PADO. 

